1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sidecars for bicycles and, more particularly, pertains to a new sidecar assembly adapted to be readily attached and detached from a bicycle frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years various carrying devices have been developed for carrying infants and small children on bicycles. For instance, it has been proposed to carry infants on child bicycle seats installed over the rear wheel of the bicycles or, alternatively, in small trailers drawn behind the bicycles. One drawback of such carrying devices resides in the fact that the cyclist cannot view and easily communicate with the child while riding the bicycle.
Accordingly, efforts have been made to design sidecars which are specifically adapted for use with bicycles. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,158 issued on September 1993 to Ellard and U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,142 issued on Mar. 8, 1994 to Vitarelli both disclose a sidecar having a frame structure adapted to be attached to a bicycle frame by means of a number of interconnected swivel connections defining a parallelogram-like structural arrangement allowing the cyclist to lean the bicycle on either side when making turns. Typically, the sidecar is attached to the rear axle, the down tube and the crossbar of the bicycle so as to ensure that the attachment of the sidecar with the bicycle frame does not interfere with the operation of the power train of the bicycle.
Although the sidecars described in the above mentioned patents allow for the bicycle to lean on either side, it has been found that there is a need for a new and simpler sidecar which can be readily connected with and disconnected from a bicycle frame while still allowing limited relative motion therebetween.